Blog
TOMS Shoes: When Being Meaningful Becomes the Business You Are In
TOMS Shoes has built a strong business and huge following based on its altruistic approach to selling shoes: buy a pair from TOMS and TOMS gives a second pair to someone who really needs them. Now they’re taking this “one-for-one” philosophy used to build the image of the company and turning it into their business model. To us, this is far more than a “rebranding” exercise, it’s the transformation of TOMS into a business inspired by a noble ambition. It is emblematic of the next generation of business in which enterprises take on broad social...
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What Makes People Want to Work (or Not) for Your Brand?
Every brand faces two employee challenges: Recruiting the best people Engaging their employees Brands that have no clearly stated brand promise and no hint of a noble ambition lack the magnetic power to attract and engage people. Brands that register “neutral” (or worse) on the feelings dial lack the energy to motivate, align and inspire people. So, how do you bring magnetic energy to your brand’s recruitment and employee engagement activities? Before you start thinking of posters, campaigns, incentives, websites, films, activities and all the other expected tools, consider...
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Strong Brands Give Employees an Idea to Rally Around
How to give employees something to believe in Take a moment to think about the employees working for your brand right now: They are in elevators, at desks, in conference rooms, in home offices, on the phone. They are in cars, on planes, in taxis, on a teleconference. They are closing deals, answering questions, presenting ideas, pitching prospects, processing orders, producing goods, answering phones, inventing products, serving customers, designing packaging, building factories, budgeting projects, balancing the books, convincing investors, meeting community leaders, hiring...
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Johnson & Johnson Meaningfully Supports Nursing
This spot from J&J demonstrates how a softly, softly approach to communications can be more effective than the anthem style advertising we so often see. The ad supports a meaningful J&J initiative called “The Campaign for Nursing’s Future” which seeks to draw people to the nursing vocation through information, inspiration and scholarships. Spotted...
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The World is Going Digital, People Remain Analog
We came across an interesting observation about the world we in which we live: “People are analog: As much as the world is going digital, people remain analog. We have emotion and we make decisions that are not entirely rational. We care about how we are perceived, we love our turf and we fear uncertainty. Unless one can understand the human needs and concerns when one is looking to deliver change it can get very difficult.” Do you understand the human needs and concerns that are bubbling up to the surface in this “digital age”? Do you recognize that decision making...
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Need to meaningfully engage employees?
It is not easy to meaningfully engage employees. A study of some 90,000 employees worldwide shows that 71% of employees are, at best, only moderately engaged at work. The report is interesting because it also points out that “…engagement has little to do with employee programs, per se.” Rather, engagement is rooted in the “interpersonal” or “relationship” elements of the work experience. As such, employees really care about… What kind of leaders do I have and what is my leadership’s focus and commitment? What this company stand for? What...
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Step 6 For Being Meaningful in 2011 – Evolve
What it means holistically: Acknowledge you’re going to change one way or another and opt for a positive evolution of your attitudes, manners and behavior. Move beyond rationalization and incorporate the emotional. Move from just being to being meaningful. What it means to brand-owners: The decision to pursue meaning as the driving force of your business is quite revolutionary. However, the process from that moment on is truly evolutionary. Meaning evolves from what is already true, already believed and already felt. The pursuit of meaning consolidates what’s already there in the...
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Step 5 For Being Meaningful In 2011 – Be True
What it means holistically: Be scrupulous, honest and truehearted. Behave reliably. Be dependable, reliable, unswerving. Be worthy. Stay fast and firm to what your believe. Be loyal to people, ideals and beliefs. What it means to brand-owners: Define the true and honest meaning behind your business. Bring that meaning to life. Help everyone understand it. Make it something people want to be partners in. Give it a personality. Make it likable, lovable and sharable. Make it natural. Make it a habit. Live it. Breathe it. Honor it. Cherish it. Celebrate it. Don’t make it a...
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